Motor mount for grain augers and the like



May 4, 1965 P. SAKUNDIAK MOTOR MOUNT FOR GRAIN AUGERS AND THE LIKE FiledJune 22, 1962 nm 5 5 8 8 I @n mm mm #m 1N VENIOR ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,181,687 MOTOR MOUNT FOR GRAIN AUGERS AND THE LIKE PeterSakundiak, Rowatt, Saskatchewan, Canada Filed June 22, 1962, Ser. No.204,534 6 Claims. (Cl. 198120.5)

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in motor mountassemblies for grain augers.

Grain augers, particularly relatively long grain augers are usuallyprovided with hoist means adapted to raise and lower the discharge endand this means that the motor mount assembly normally associated withsuch grain augers has to be adjusted in position in order to maintain itsubstantially level irrespective of the angle of inclination of theauger tube.

Furthermore it is conventional to provide a clutch for the drive betweenthe source of power carried on said motor mount and the drive for theauger, in order that the motor may be started in a disconnectedcondition from the auger tube and to enable the auger tube to ceasedischarging without having to stop the motor.

By providing a motor mount assembly with a strut extending between thebase thereof and the auger tube, I am able to maintain the motor mountassembly, together with the source of power thereon, relativelyhorizontal irrespective of the position of the auger tube. Furthermore,by providing an eccentric mounting for the motor mount assembly to thegrain auger, I eliminate the necessity for a clutch as it is easy toloosen and tighten the belt merely by a flip of a lever in order todisconnect the motor from the drive of the auger.

The principal object and essence of my invention is therefore to providea device of the character herewithin described in which the motor mountassembly is maintained in a substantially horizontal position at alltimes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterherewithin described which eliminates the necessity for a built inclutch due to the provision of an eccentric mounting for the motor mountassembly.

A yet further object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which includes means to lock the motormount assembly in the belt loosened or belt tightened position, byproviding an over center movement for the eccentrics which rotatethrough at least 180 degrees.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of thecharacter herewithin described which is simple in construction,economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose forwhich it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects andadvantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention relates as this specification proceeds, my inventionconsists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all ashereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection, showing a conventional grain auger embodying the motor mount ofthe invention, the auger being illustrated in a lowered position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view, similar to that shown in FIGURE 1 butillustrating the anger in a raised position;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary elevational view on an enlarged scale of themotor mount;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially in theplane of the line 4-4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary top plan View of the motor mount; and

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional'view of the motor mount in the beltloosened position.

3,181,687 Patented May 4, 1965 In the drawings like characters ofreference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe my invention in detail, referenceshould first be made to FIGURE 1 in which I have illustrated aconventional grain auger tube 10 within which is provided an augerflight 10'. A gear box '11 is secured to the tube and drives shaft 12which extends to gears 13 thus providing drive to the auger flight.

The auger tube 10 is normally mounted upon a front A frame 14 and a rearA frame 15, both converging to a common locus 16 which is normally thewheel axle upon which ground engaging wheels 17 are provided.

The rear A frame 15 is normally pivoted to the auger tube as at 18whereas the front A frame 14 is slidably attached to the underside ofthe auger tube and slides along due to the action of a conventionalhoist mechanism (not illustrated) so that the auger tube can take up alowered position shown in FIGURE 1 or, alternatively, a raised positionshown in FIGURE 2.

Under these conditions, of course, it is desirable that the source ofpower 19 situated upon motor mount assembly 20, is maintainedsubstantially horizontal. The motor mount assembly 20, shown in detailin FIG. 2, consists of the upper plate 21 upon which the source of powermay be attached by bolts through apertures '22. Depending side flanges23 are provided, each side flange having a tubular bearing 24 as clearlyshown.

Secured to the underside of upper plate 21 is a pair of depending pivotlugs 25 comprised of a pair of spaced and parallel plates 26 maintainedin this relationship by means of spacer 27. The upper ends of theseplates are outturned as at 28 and secured to the underside of the plate21 by welding or similar means.

-A further pivot lug 29 is secured to the underside of the auger tubeadjacent the point 1 8 and a strut 30 extends between pivot lugs 25 and29. The attachment at both ends is similar but only the lower end isdetailed. This consists of a screw threaded T-bolt 31, the cross bar 32of which engages apertures within the lower ends of the plates 26 andthe shank is screw threadably engaged within the end of the strut 39.This permits initial adjustment to be made in order to level the plate21.

Referring back to the bearings 24 within the side flanges 23 of themotor mount, I have provided a mounting axle 33 extending therethroughand this mounting axle has secured thereto a pair of eccentrics 34 whichare rotatable within the bearings 24. The axle 33 projects from themotor mount and is supported by frame members 37 of the rear A frame 15.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a linkage connection isprovided between the rear A frame 15, the strut 30 and the pivot lugs 25and 25, so that irrespective of the position of the auger tube 10, themotor mount plate is maintained substantially horizontal.

A belt 38 extends from the source of power 19, to a drive pulley 39 onthe gear box 11 of the auger tube assembly and instead of providing aciutch to connect and disconnect the source of power to the drive,attention is directed to the aforementioned eccentrics 34 secured toaxle 33.

It will be observed that a crank arm 40 is formed on one end of the axle33 and if the crank arm is in the position shown in FIGURE 6, then themotor mount assembly is tilted to the right (with respect to thedrawings) thus slackening belt 38 and permitting the motor to operatewithout driving the auger tube flight.

However, if the lever 40 is rotated through more than degrees in thedirection of arrow 41, to take up the position shown in FIGURE 3, therotation of the eccentrics forces the motor mount assembly to itshorizontal position shown in FIGURE 3 thus tightening the r a i g3,181,687

3 belt and acting'a's a' clutch 'to connect the source of power to theauger'flight, I a V V I Due to the fact that the crank arm 40passes'through at least v180 degrees, an over center action of theeccentricsis provided. However, it .is necessary to limit the rotationof this crank arm and in this connection I provide a pin 42 extendingradially from the axle 33 at a position in between the plates 26 and itWill be observed that this pin engages the underside of plate 21 when tthe crank arm 40 is in either the belt tightened or belt loosenedposition. a I

Since various modifications can be made in my in vention as hereinabovedescribed," and many apparently widely different embodiments of .samemade within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing fromsuch spirit and scope, it'is intended that all matter contained' in theaccompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only andnot in alimiting sense.

What I claim as 'my invention is: j

1. In agrain auger, the combination of an inclined auger tube, asupporting frame member pivotally con-' nected to said auger tube andadjustable relativethereto whereby the angle of inclination of the augertube may be varied, a motor mount, pivot means mounting said motor mounton said frame member for rocking movement in a vertical plane parallelto said auger'tube, a levelling link pivotally connected to said augertube and to said motor mount in parallel to, said frame member wherebythe motor mount may assume'a horizontal position regardless of the angleof inclination of the auger tube, a motor on said motor mount, .a beltdrive extending from said motor to the auger tube, said belt drive beingtaut and operative when said mount is horizontal, and eccentric meanscarried by said pivot means and operativelyengaging said motor mountwhereby the latter maybe tilted to a position whereinsaid belt drive isslack and inoperative. v V

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said motor mount'includes atubular bearing, said eccentric means comprising .a circular memberrotatably positioned in said bearing andlprovided, with an eccentricaperture, said pivot means comprising a shaft extendingthrough saidaperture, said circular member being secured to said shaft forrotationtherewith in said tubular bearing, and an actuatinghjandleprovided at one end of said shaft.

3. The device as definedin claim 2 together with stop means for limitingthe extent of rotation of said shaft and circular member in saidbearing.

4. In a grain auger, the combination of an inclined augerv tube, asupporting frame member pivotally connected to said auger tube andadjustable relative thereto whereby'the angle of inclination-of theauger tube may bervaried, a transverse shaft rotatably journalled insaid frame" member, an actuating handle and an eccentric provided onsaid shaft and rotatable therewith, a motor mount including a plateand'a transverse tubular bearing rigidly connected to said plate, saidbearing receiving said eccentric therein, said motor mount beingrockable in a vertical plane parallel to said auger tube about the axisof said tubular bearing, a levelling link pivotally connected to saidauger tube and to said motor mount 'in parallel to said framememberwhereby the plate of the motor mount may assume a horizontalposition regardless of the angle of inclination of said auger tube, amotor provided on said plate of the, motor mount, and

7 an endless belt drive extending from said motor to the auger tube,said belt drive being taut and operative when said motor mount plate ishorizontal,'but'being slack and inoperative, when the motor mount is'tilted by rotation ofsaid shaft andeccentric in said bearing.

5. The device asdefined in claim ,4 together with stopv means forlimiting the extent of rotation of said shaft and eccentric in saidbearing.

i 6. The device as defined in claim 4 together with a projecting pinprovided on said shaft and engageable with said motorrmount plate tolimit in both directions theextent of rotation of the shaft andeccentric in said bearing. 7 4

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS f1,s7 s,s7s 9/32Eckhard l 74- 579 2,592,480 4/52 Slocum 19s 2s3 2,601,916 7/52 Bobvawski19s 233 2,998,120 8/61 Hagen l98l20.5

1. IN A GRAIN AUGER, THE COMBINATION OF AN INCLINED AUGER TUBE, ASUPPORTING FRAME MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID AUGER TUBE ANDADJUSTABLE RELATIVE THERETO WHEREBY THE ANGLE OF INCLINATION OF THEAUGER TUBE MAY BE VARIED, A MOTOR MOUNT, PIVOT MEANS MOUNTING SAID MOTORMOUNT ON SAID FRAME MEMBER FOR ROCKING MOVEMENT IN A VERTICAL PLANEPARALLEL TO SAID AUGER TUBE, A LEVELLING LINK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TOSAID AUGER TUBE AND TO SAID MOTOR MOUNT IN PARALLEL TO SAID FRAME MEMBERWHEREBY THE MOTOR MOUNT MAY ASSUME A HORIZONTAL POSITION REGARDLESS OFTHE ANGLE OF INCLINATION OF THE AUGER TUBE, A MOTOR ON SAID MOTOR MOUNT,A BELT DRIVE EXTENDING FROM SAID MOTOR TO THE AUGER TUBE, SAID BELTDRIVE BEING TAUT AND OPERATIVE WHEN SAID MOUNT IS HORIZONTAL, ANDECCENTRIC MEANS CARRIED BY SAID PIVOT MEANS AND OPERATIVELY ENGAGINGSAID MOTOR MOUNT WHEREBY THE LATTER MAY BE TILTED TO A POSITION WHEREINSAID BELT DRIVE IS SLACK AND INOPERATIVE.